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Is 7 years old too young to fish hopedale

Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:37 pm
Posted by RatherHunt
Louisiana
Member since Feb 2021
162 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:37 pm
My son has begged for years to catch a red fish. He 7 and kinda small fella about 40 lbs.- wondering if he’d be able to fight a red fish. Has anyone had experience bring kids?

I’ve never had luck with specs there. Just fish the canals/ponds to left at the four-way mainly. Are specs in around that would be better for him?
Posted by GravelLotinCanada
Anywhere, Anytime
Member since Dec 2019
356 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:42 pm to
My son was 6-7 when he caught his first redfish in Delacroix and also on smaller side. It’s still one of my favorite videos to this day. I’d do it. Worst case you help him land it if needed.
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
71068 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:43 pm to
quote:

wondering if he’d be able to fight a red fish.


Hell yea he can. We used to catch them off the pier in grand isle younger than that. Itll take a while. Rig him up with some 20 pound power pro on a zebco and let him get his arse kicked for a while.

My brother caught a big red off the pier younger than that and he still talks about it. Most fun a kid can have.
Posted by WizardSleeve
Louisiana
Member since Sep 2011
1918 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:48 pm to
Hell yeah 7 is perfect for hopedale. Much of hopedale to Delacroix can be fished in fall and winter without any open water runs, all interior marsh safe and low intensity boat rides for kids. Find drains and points or pockets with tide falling and good clean water, put a shrimp under a cork up near the cut or bank and hold on!
Posted by Tiger Prawn
Member since Dec 2016
25186 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:49 pm to
quote:

wondering if he’d be able to fight a red fish
Let that little baw have some fun. He’ll have a hell of a fun time even on the undersized ones. Just be ready to give him a hand if he hooks into a big one.
Posted by Major Dutch Schaefer
Location: Classified
Member since Nov 2011
38233 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:51 pm to
I was younger than that going with my dad
Posted by Dulacrat
Member since Jan 2021
1523 posts
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:54 pm to
7 is a great age. I have been taking my soon to be 5 yo grandson, and he’s doing great with a spin cast rod/reel, cork and shrimp. He loves it! Get your boy in the marsh and help create his passion for fishing! You won’t regret it.
Posted by jdavid1
Member since Jan 2014
2600 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 7:28 am to
7 is perfect for reds. I was bringing one of mine redfishing when he was 5. Now he's 7 and he goes snapper fishing with me. He loves fishing. He would sit on a pond and bass fish from daylight to dark if I would let him.
Posted by PlootyPlucker90
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2017
44 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 8:12 am to
My son has been tagging along on my hunting and fishing trips since he was three. He may need some help but there's no such thing as starting them too early. My boy is 8 now and can sling a baitcaster as good as most men. He will bait his own hook and take off all his fish with very little help. He wont let me leave the house without him. Start building that love for the outdoors ASAP.
This post was edited on 12/19/25 at 7:19 am
Posted by TigerBlood17
Member since Jan 2014
1587 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 8:33 am to
My girls caught bull reds when they were around that age. I just held the rod with one hand right above the reel and they did the rest. It was tough for them, but they did it.
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6950 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 9:12 am to
Heck yeah. Take that boy everywhere. Even if he doesn’t catch a redfish it’s worth taking him. I’ve caught thousands of fish and one my favorite ones was a dang stingray I caught with my dad when I was 6. Thought my rod was going to break and I was scared I was going to fall out of the boat. Momma still has a picture of it on the wall.
Posted by mdomingue
Lafayette, LA
Member since Nov 2010
42714 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 9:26 am to
I you could bottle a 7-year-old's energy and enthusiasm, you could fight a whale

If he loves fishing, he is old enough. Just stick close by with him in case he needs or asks for help
Posted by lowhound
Effie
Member since Aug 2014
9677 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 9:30 am to
I brought my 4yo out there this fall. Let him rip that poppin cork, Dad.
Posted by nolaks
Member since Dec 2013
1294 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 9:49 am to
Subtle Brag,

This made me go back and check my instagram feed. The first time my son caught a limit of trout in Hopedale he was three. That was him casting and reeling his own. His uncle had caught 50 trout that morning, and me and my son jumped in the boat and caught 50. Then just to one up his uncle we stopped and caught two reds.
Posted by MarsellusWallace
504
Member since Apr 2022
545 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 10:03 am to
I took my son offshore at 7. He sat in my lap in a fighting chair and cranked on a blue and a sail. Still talks about it. All about the kid's eagerness - if he has the bug, let him go. Don't force it though.
Posted by Saskwatch
Member since Feb 2016
18002 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 10:03 am to
Honestly dead shrimp under a cork for reds is easier fishing for kids than speck fishing where your casting alot. I bring my 5 yr old along when fishing bait. He isnt the best caster but loves reeling anything in.
Posted by Bert Macklin FBI
Quantico
Member since May 2013
11780 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 10:05 am to
Nope. I took my 8 year old in November and we had a great time. Just don't go too far and you will have fun.
Posted by Saskwatch
Member since Feb 2016
18002 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 10:38 am to
Throw some uncrustables in the cooler.
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6950 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 12:42 pm to
quote:

Throw some uncrustables in the cooler.


And 47 Capri Suns
Posted by deeprig9
Unincorporated Ozora
Member since Sep 2012
73239 posts
Posted on 12/18/25 at 2:25 pm to
A rod holder, power pro, patience, and some help of course.

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